Open-Source JS PDF Library Comparison

 View the original article: Comparison of open source JavaScript PDF libraries

 

For projects that require high performance, sophisticated features, or strong support for handling complex PDFs, it is recommended to choose a commercial PDF library such as ComPDFKit for Web. However, if your goal is just to display PDFs in a web application, there are several reliable open-source JavaScript libraries for viewing PDFs.

 





1. pdf.js

PDF.js is an open source JavaScript library developed by Mozilla, designed to render PDF files directly in web browsers without the need for additional plug-ins. It emphasizes providing a seamless PDF reading experience on different platforms.

 

advantage 

Highly flexible and comprehensive, it can process PDF files directly in your browser.

Well-supported by Mozilla, with an active community and regular updates.

Completely free and open source, suitable for a variety of applications and development frameworks.

In addition to reading, some annotation functions are also supported.

Plugins available.

shortcoming 

The packaging size is large.

Performance can be an issue for very complex PDFs, and it lacks some features compared to commercial options.

There is limited support for rendering non-standard or more complex PDF structures.

Users have previously experienced frequent page preview failures in Internet Explorer.

Code modification and redistribution are permitted, but are less flexible than the MIT License.

 

2. react-pdf

React-pdf is a library specifically designed to integrate with React applications, allowing developers to render PDFs in their React components. It provides a flexible solution for front-end developers working in the React ecosystem.

 

advantage 

Integrates seamlessly with React and is a great fit for projects built with this library.

Easy to use and clearly documented, with a focus on usability for React developers.

shortcoming 

Only available for React projects.

Depends on PDF.js, so it has the same issues as PDF.js.

Has limited functionality compared to more powerful libraries and often requires additional plugins to extend functionality.

Performance may be reduced when processing larger or more complex PDF files.

 

3. pdfmake

PDFmake is a versatile PDF creation library written in JavaScript that allows programmatic generation of PDF files. It is known for being able to easily create complex, styled PDFs programmatically, making it ideal for creating dynamic documents.

 

advantage 

Provides server-side PDF generation, suitable for dynamic content creation.

Highly customizable, supporting complex document structures and styles.

Supports multiple browsers.

shortcoming 

Due to its numerous configuration options, it may be complicated to learn for beginners.

Performance limitations may occur when creating very large files or complex designs.

 

4. ng2-pdf-viewer

Ng2-pdf-viewer is a simple Angular component that enables PDF viewing capabilities in your Angular application. It focuses on simplicity and easy integration with the Angular framework.

 

advantage 

Lightweight and easy to integrate with Angular applications.

Focus on efficient rendering and display of PDF.

shortcoming 

Advanced functionality is limited and may require additional software packages for a complete solution.

Updates and community support may not be as strong compared to larger projects.

 

5. ngx-extended-pdf-viewer

Ngx-extended-pdf-viewer is an Angular library that provides extensive functionality for displaying PDF files in Angular applications. It is valued for its configurability and feature-rich behavior to meet complex PDF processing needs.

 

advantage 

Supports almost all major modern browsers.

It provides rich features and customization options, especially suitable for Angular projects.

Supports a wide range of PDF features, including text selection, annotation, and table handling.

shortcoming 

The packaging size is large.

If you only need the basics, too many features can be overwhelming.

Since its feature set is so extensive, the package size is large and may not be suitable for all scenarios.

Code modification and redistribution are permitted, but are less flexible than the MIT License.

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